Hand-stamper.



R. L. EAVENSON.

HAND STAMPI-2R.

APPLICATION FILED APR. I0. |915.

Patented Aug. 10, 1915.

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c30cm Yvl HLEHVENSON ROSCOE L. EAVENSON, OF ELBERTON, GEORGIA.

- HAND-STAMPER.

Application filed April 10, 1915.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Roscoe L. EAvENsoN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Elberton, in the county of Elbert and State of Georgia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in HandsStampers, of whichthe following is a specification, reference being had to theaccompanying drawin s.

linl/ly present invention relates to new and useful improvements in'hand stampers but has more particular reference to stampers of the typeemployed by railway mail clerks in printing the required indicia, as toroute, destination, date, name of clerk and train number upon the pouchtag.

It is a present practice of mail clerks to employ hand stamps havingrubber, type bearing, heads, in which a socket is formed to receive aremovable train number. On the average, each mail clerk must each dayemploy four different train numbers with his stamp. rIhus the socket inthe rubber stamp head becomes split or worn away, after the same hasbeen in use a relatively short time due, of course, tov the frequentremoval and insertion of the train number type blocks and the fact thatthese blocks are loose within the head and consequently turn and twisttherein, each time the stamp is pressed upon a pouch tag. Not only isthe present type of hand stamp now in use objectionable for the abovereason, but it is also objectionable because of the fact that the smallblocks upon which the train number type are cut, frequently become lostwhen train numbers are changed.

The primary object of my present invention is, therefore, to provide ahand stamper which is especially adapted for use by mail clerks and isprovided with a trainnumber block which isv polygonal in shape so thatits several faces may carry four or a greater number of dierent trainnumbers, so that one type block will serve the purpose of a number ofsuch blocks, as heretofore employed.

A further object is to provide a stamper with a novel formof head platewherein the train number type block may be journaled, therebyeliminating the necessity of substituting a new block for each requiredchange in train number.

The above, and other incidental objects of a similar nature, which willbe hereinafter more specifically treated are accomplished Specificationof Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 10,l 1915.

Serial No. 20,532.

by such means as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, describedin the following specification, and then more particularly pointed outin the claims which are appended hereto and form a part of thisapplication.

With reference to the drawings, wherein there has been illustrated thepreferred embodiment of this invention, as it is reduced to practice,and throughout the several views of which similar reference numeralsdesign nate corresponding parts, Figure 1 is a side elevation of thestamper; Fig. 2 is a face view of the head thereof; Fig. 3 isa detailperspective view looking at the bottom of the head plate; Fig. l is adetail section taken in a horizontal plane, through the rotatable blockon which the train numbers are mounted; and Fig. 5 is a vertical sectiontaken through the block and the housing in which it is mounted. f

As shown in tspreferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawings, thestamp consists of a body 10k which may be of any well known type inwhich the date bands 11 are adjustably carried. instead of an ordinaryform of head plat/e 12, I provide for the handle a plate of the typeshown in detail in Fig. 3. As there shown, the plate is substantiallyrectangular in shape and is provided with the usual opening 13 tovreceive the dating bands so that these members may project to the planeof the type on the rubber type block 1l. The one longitudinal edge o-fthe plate is provided with a pair of hook-shaped jaws 15,'vwhich areadapted to engage over the edge portion of the body 10 at the lower endthereof and to co-act with the set screw 16, which is threaded through-a lug 17, in holding the head plate 12 in the proper position on thebody. To the lower face of the head plate is cemented or 0therwisesimilarly secured, the type carrying block 14. The corner of thisblockfll is cut-away, as indicated at 18 to provide a space wherein maybe accommodated the housing 19 which is formed integrally with the headyplate 12. The housing is defined by three flanges designated by thenumerals 19a, 19b and 19C.` The member 19a extends along Ithe transverseedge of the plate 12 and is in length equal to the width of the plate.The flange 19b extends along the longitudinal edge of the plate at rightangles to the flange 19a and is relatively short, being considerablyless in length than the flange 19a and consequently less in length thanthe plate 12. The flange 19 extends across the bottom face of the plate12 at right angles to the flange 19b and parallel to the ange 19a. Thismember' 19c is of a length considerably less than the flange 19a. Theend of the block 14 engages against the flange 19a, while the cut-awaycorner of the block receives the flanges 19h and 19c and also the blockwhich is mounted therein. In this housing is disposed the polygonalblock 2O on the faces of which are carried the train number type asshown in detail in Fig. 5. An axle 21 is provided for this train numberblock, the axle being journaled in the side walls of the socket, butbeing freely received within the bore 22 of the block. This bore senlarged at one end to permit a small helical spring 23 to be woundabout the axle. This spring serves to hold the lookin adjusted positionby resisting the rotation of the block on the axle.

From the foregoing description it will now be apparent that with myimproved stamper, the mail clerk may use the same stamp for labelingmail pouch tags with different train numbers. It will also be observedthat there is no necessity, in the present stamper, to remove the trainnumber type 'each time that a different train number is to be impressedupon the tag.

It is now desirable to explain that the housing 19 can be located at thecorner of the head plate so that the numerals on the typeband of theblock 20 may transversely aline with the train line indicia indicated atA, whereby both the train lines and the number of the train will appearon the pouch tag when the same is folded in the required manner.

In reduction to practice, it has been found that the form of thisinvention illustrated in the drawings, and referred to in the abovedescription as the preferred embodiment, is the most efhcient andpractical; yet realizing that the conditions concurrent with theadoption of this device will necessarily vary, it is desirable toemphasize the fact that various minor changes in the details of construction, proportion and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, whenrequired, without sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention,as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is n 1. A hand stamp including a body, a head platecarried thereby, a housing formed at one corner of the head plate, atype carrying block fixed on the head plate and having one cornerportion cut-away to receive the housing, and a polygonal block rotatablymounted in the housing, said block being provided on each face withtype, said block being rotatable, whereby the type of any face ofthebloclr may be disposed to print with the type of the said typecarrying block.

2. A hand stamp including a body, a head plate, a housing projectingfrom the lower face of the head plate at one corner thereof, a typecarrying block fixed on the head plate and cut-away at one corner toreceive the housing, an axle extending through the side walls of thehousing, a polygonal block rotatable on the axle and disposed within thehousing, said block being provided upon each face with numerical type,said block being adapted for adjustment whereby the type of any face ofthe block may be disposed to print with the type of the fixed block, anda spring wound about the axle and disposed within the polygonal blockfor yieldably resisting the casual rotation of said block.

3. A hand stamp including a body, a head plate carried thereby, ahousing formed at one corner of the plate, said housing being defined bya flange which extends along one transverse edge of the plate, saidflange being equal in length to the width of the plate, a ysecond flangewhich extends along one longitudinal edge of the plate, said secondflange being of a length less than the first mentioned flange, and athird ange which extends at right angles to the second flange andparallel to the first flange, said third flange being of a length lessthan the second flange, a type carrying block fixed on the plate andhaving one corner cut-away to receive the second and third flanges, theterminals of the block being disposed to bear against the firstmentioned flange, and a polygonal block rotatably mounted in thehousing, said block beingv provided on each face with type adapted toprint with the type of the said type carrying block.

In testimony whereof l hereunto affix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

ROSCOE L. EAVENSON. Witnesses:

W. RAYMOND GAINES, L. DEADENGLER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

i Washington, D. C.

